HILT’s ‘Āina‑Based Education & Connection program empowers teachers, students, and families to form reciprocal relationships with Hawaiʻi’s ʻāina (land) through hands‑on stewardship at community preserves statewide. Activities include field trips, youth internships, “Talk Story on the Land” guided hikes, and virtual or in‑class experiences. The program fosters aloha ʻāina, mālama ʻāina, and moʻokūʻauhau (genealogical connection) rooted in Hawaiian cultural values and ecological literacy.
Field trips: Co‑created with educators; on‑site curriculum supports classroom and outdoor learning.
Youth programs and internships: Includes the Ahupuaʻa Stewards Leadership Program—where students engage in ahupuaʻa‑based environmental planning with mentors and earn stipends.
Talk Story on the Land: Free guided hikes led by local experts focused on culture, ecology, and conservation at fee‑owned preserves.
Volunteer stewardship: Community members help restore sites by planting native species, removing invasives, and caring for marine debris and cultural sites.
Educational videos: Field footage and storytelling resources support place‑based learning and virtual field experiences
Hawaiian cultural values: aloha ʻāina, mālama ʻāina, moʻokūʻauhau, and pilina (connection).
Ecological literacy: hands‑on learning about water, soil, native species, and habitat health.
Ahupuaʻa systems: traditional land division learning, watershed stewardship, and cultural resource management.
STEAM integration: design of land‑based projects, ecological monitoring, data collection, and storytelling.
Leadership and service: student empowerment through internships and contribution to community land care.
